The Joint Congress of the Eleme PhD Forum and the Eleme Graduates Forum has called on the Rivers State Government to urgently implement the permanent demarcation of boundaries between Eleme and its neighbouring communities as a lasting solution to recurring territorial disputes.
In a communiqué issued after its joint congress held on Sunday, the groups appealed to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations contained in the state’s White Paper on the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Eleme–Okrika crisis.
The congress said the report of the commission, chaired by retired Justice Charles Granville, alongside the Supreme Court judgment in Suit No. FSC 123/1958, affirms the boundary rights of the Eleme people.
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It maintained that areas extending to the Okrika waterfront, including Abam and Okochiri communities, the PPMC Jetty, OGS Secondary School, Okrika Motor Park and Okrika General Hospital, are within Eleme territory, adding that efforts to recover and protect the areas would continue through lawful and constitutional means.
The groups also warned against unlawful land acquisition and encroachment in Eleme, urging individuals involved in such activities to desist. They welcomed only duly authorised real estate developers operating within the law.
Appealing for peace, the congress urged youths and residents of Eleme and neighbouring communities to remain law-abiding and embrace dialogue as the foundation for peaceful coexistence.
The congress further expressed support for the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s proposed partnership with two Chinese firms for the rehabilitation and sustainable operation of the Port Harcourt Refinery, assuring investors of a peaceful and hospitable environment in Eleme.
The groups also encouraged Eleme indigenes to take advantage of the newly established University of Port Harcourt satellite campus in Eleme, pledging to sponsor admission forms for selected qualified applicants.
The communiqué was signed by Chairman of the Eleme PhD Forum, Dr. Joseph Obele; President of the Eleme Graduates Forum, Engr. Eric Chujor; Secretary of the Eleme PhD Forum, Dr. Fortune Kenya; and Secretary of the Eleme Graduates Forum, Caleb Osaro.
